Two Talks About Them
by Ace's Shadow Girl
Summary: Right after Aizen's disappearance from Soul Society, Renji is confronted by two people about one special person. Two one-shots. Enjoy.
1. Act 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

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**Act 1  
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Renji was just so glad it had all turned out so well. Even if they had lost three of their captains, nobody had died and that was worth so much more. Especially Rukia … if she had died, he would have never forgiven himself. He did not know how he had managed to stay away from her for so long, but if she had died now – or, at all … he did not know what he would have done. He was the one who had brought her back here, always believing that Captain Kuchiki would prevent her execution.

And why should he not have? She was his sister, after all.

He looked out of the window, into the clear blue sky, and smiled silently. The sun was shining, touching everything, as if to tell them that it was not so bad. They had all survived and were able to look up at it now. All in all, he was thankful.

"Renji."

He tore his gaze from the window to look back at the black-haired man currently lying in the hospital bed before him.

He was staring right back, his dark grey eyes seeming to pierce right through his soul. Yes, that man had this ability, Renji believed that.

"What is it?" he asked, skipping titles and stuff. At this moment, they were not captain and lieutenant but two survivors of the same war. He would not dare to call it friendship – no, not really. He still wanted to surpass him someday.

But now he felt sympathy for the man who had finally come to defend Rukia after all. Even if it had been very, very late.

"If you ever were to deceive or sadden her …"

Kuchiki Byakuya's voice was calm and quiet as if he was talking about casual things here, but Renji immediately got the undercurrent.

"… I will kill you with my very hands."

The eyes meeting his were strong and unflinching, and the red-haired shinigami knew very well that he was serious in what he was saying. Not that this man was ever thoughtless or light-minded in any way.

"If I were to deceive or sadden her, I'd kill myself first," he calmly answered. And he was also serious about that.

Byakuya looked at him for another moment before nodding slightly and closing his eyes.

Renji smiled as he slowly stood up from his chair. It was fine like this. After all, Captain Kuchiki really seemed to care.

He would have expected nothing less from him.


	2. Act 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

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**Act 2**

Just when Renji closed the door behind him, he was greeted with a hand suddenly grabbing the collar of his robes. "What the …?"

"You!" Ichigo's voice sounded resolute. "I was looking for you."

"Well, nice, but could you perhaps – Uwg!" He made a throaty noise when the orange-haired boy just started pulling him along the hallway of the Fourth Division's quarters and, much to Renji's surprise, into an empty storage room.

"Ah, you know, I'm not interested in you that w –"

"Shut up!" Ichigo commanded, and as upset as he got about that, Renji actually obeyed. He was now very, _very _curious about what the heck was going on and what the boy could possibly want from him.

Ichigo's intentions, however, became clear when he folded his arms in front of his chest and looked up at the Shinigami with his typical frown. "So, you and Rukia it is, then?"

"What the heck?" Renji gave for an answer and folded his arms likewise, an equal frown on his sharp face. "Is this let's-talk-about-me-and-Rukia-day?" Kuchiki he could understand, but now that kid? Wasn't that too much now?

Ichigo's frown only grew deeper as he seized Renji by the collar again, a fact that really annoyed the redhead. "I got no clue what you're talking about," he said slowly, "but if you ever, and I mean _ever_, hurt her or make her cry, I'll come over to pay you a visit and then I'll beat you up so hard that you wish you'd never been born. Got it?"

Renji huffed in annoyance. "Would you mind getting your damn hands off me? Thank you!"

Ichigo let him go, but his body language easily pointed out that there was no way he would let him go without a promise. "You understand? You make her happy or I'll beat the crap out of you, you betcha!"

"Where do you know that from?" Renji asked as he righted his clothes, rather than saying what the boy wanted. Because, really, where could he have gotten that idea from? He seriously wanted to know. Not that it was not true …

"Oh please!" Ichigo blurted and rolled his eyes. "That's so obvious! Just the way you look at each other is speaking friggin' volumes!"

"Is it?" Renji mumbled and wondered about how many people knew also.

"Now what?" Ichigo still towered over him despite the actual height difference, and Renji just could not fight off the somewhat unpleasant feeling that he was being threatened. Which annoyed him even further.

"Listen. Even if I see no point in repeating what I've told my captain just five minutes ago and even if it's none of your damn business, I'll tell you this. If I ever were to hurt her I'd gladly appreciate your visit and not put up any resistance. Got that?"

And when he turned around without waiting for Ichigo's reaction and opened the door to get into the hallway again, he felt a smile tugging at his lips.

It was nice to know that Rukia had people around her who cared for her that much.

However … he was the one who cared the most.


End file.
